Speed change and control mechanism



May 12, 1953 E. A. FEUSTEL 2,638,006

- SPEED CHANGE AND CONTROL MECHANISM Filed June 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Ernest A.Feustel y 2, 1953 E. A. FEUSTEL 2,638,006

SPEED CHANGE AND CONTROL MECHANISM INVENTOR. Ernest A.Feusrel attorney May 12, 1953 E. A. FEUSTEL 2,638,006

SPEED CHANGE AND CONTROL MECHANISM Filed June 24, 1947- 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

mmvroa. Ernest A.Feusr el aHorney Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED) 1 OFFICE:

sPEED' AXD CONTROL MECHANISM T EinesbAflFustel, Hasbrouck- Heights, N. J.

Application J line 24, 1947, scriablqor-i 56,630

6 Claims; 1

The present invention relates to' certain-new and useful speed-change and speed-control mech' anism for full fashioned knitting machines, for" changing the running speed of the machine from high-speed to low-speed, and back 'to high-speed, according to the particular part of thho'se bein knitted.

In the knitting of full fashioned hosiery, certain parts of the hose can be effectively" knitted at a comparatively high'speed as, for instance, 10 the welt portion and the straightportions ofth' leg, while other parts of the hose aremost erree: tively knitted at comparatively lbiver sp'eelisf Likewise the character of we yazhalso gov'' erns the most advantageousspeed at which' any 115 particular part of the .hose' may be knitted? 'Ihusfor instance, a very thin or fine yarn,'for'" instance 10 denier sill-i cannot be knitted amt-p idly as a BO'denier silk. 7

Likewise, in operating the welt turner on: a full fashionedv knitting machine, the speed inust'i be reduced considerably, as for instance to 15" courses. a minute, whereas, in knitting th' welt" portion and straight-portion itispdssibleto run" the full fashioned knitting'lma'chine at the speed-* of 75 courses a minutell'more-or-less depending on' the'fineness'ofth' yarnin the'machinei'i Likewise; the heel, 'sole and toe" portions of the f stockings can be 'efiectively=knitted at'perhaps flo" courses per minuteor Tess.

An object of the" present inventton'd's automatically to change the speed" ofthe'knittingma chine- (courses perminute') for the varions 'pa'rtsf of the hose, accordingtdthemest efficient-speed which that operation or *pdrtibhbfthe tinse -will permit. 1 Thus, it "may -be--desirable 'to" run the: machine-at three-0r four d-ifierent speede- 'duiingf the'making ofa hose, as--for*instance-1 5;45160 and '75courses per minute;

A further object of the-present invention is $0 effect these speed changesuautomaticaliy Whamthe machine enters various operating: stages :fiorx: parts of the hose; with an: electric'mo'torof con stant speed, so that therewiltbeno-loss f :Dowerat the low speedsbut, onthe contrary the actual torque or turning power will be increased at the lowspeeds so. as toinsure smooth-and flawless operation of the knitting. machine. atsallfspeedsL With the above and other object'sinfview, the I present invention consistsof a novel combination of speed-ratiov-changing mechanism.- intermediate a constant speed electric motor and the-- drive shaft of [the knittingtmachine and a reversible electricmotor operating said'fatio'changer,=-and an electrical control operative'ly' interposed 156-" tween the patternchain of the knitting machine and the ratio control motor, wherebyiugs, or

buttons, set on the pattern-chain at suitablylsele'cted intervals(corresponding to the beginning and end of the arious operations of the machine or the beginning or" end of the various parts of the-hose) willcause the ratio changing control motor to increase or reduce the speed ratio to any desired extent.

The present invention consists of other novel features of construction which 'will'appear more fully "from the following descripticn'and acc'om' drawihgsfand the appended claims. 7 FOf th 'pll'lpds "of"i11ustratin'g the invention;

mentalities" as herein shown and described.

Iiithe"accompanying"drawings in"Wh'iCh like reference characters indicate like parts;

Figure 1 represents a fro'nt ele'vationai View of'one embodiment off the speed control m'ech anisnr'of'th present invention, with-the relevant" parts of the knitting machine shown in fragmentary"view; better 'to' 'illiistrate' the relationship of themechanism of the pres'entinvention-to the knittlhg'machih.

shaft's'thereini Figure'B"represents a 'secticnon' line 33 of f Figure? andline 3 3 of Figurel.

Figure! represents a "vertical cross 'sectional view'dn" line 4 -4 of Figure 1"."

Figure-"5 representsavertical cross-sectional View on line" 5-5 ofFi'gure' 4 'with'parts of the contact bearin g 'riisc bro'kenawayg'to expose to two ccntactsegments" are" rotated, 'in"either 'tli; recti'cniby the" settingof the" ratio-changer;

Figure 'firepresent'si a section on line 6-8 of Figure 4:

Figure'Y-c' represents "a more or less schematic view showing" the relationship I of the segments 1 an'd th'e' br'us'hbf the controi'r'nechanism in the whereby the control motor is stationary.

Figure '7 represents a schematic view showsegments whereby one or the circuits to the control motor is closed and the control motor is caused to rotate in one direction.

Figure 7-0 represents a schematic view showing the segments rotated clockwise from the po sition of Figure 7-b to bring the gap back into line with the brush so as to stop the control motor.

Figure 'Z-d represents a schematic view showing the next phase of operation wherein the brush is rotated counterclockwise from the position of Figure 7-0 back to the position of La, whereby it is in contact with the other segment so as to close the other circuit to the control motor and to cause said control motor to rotate in the opposite direction.

Figure 7-2 represents aschematic view showing the segments rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in Figure 7-11 back to the position shown in Figure 'l-a wherein the gap is once again in line with the brush so as to again stop the control motor thereby to cause the shaft 24 to resume its original speed.

The ratio-changer, designated generally by the numeral Ill, may be of any suitable construction, which permits the gradual change of the speed ratio between the driving shaft and. the driven shaft in small and imperceptible increments. One form of such ratio-changer is that shownin Figures 1, 2 and 3 which is of the general type Likewise, because the ratio-changer shown in Figures 2 and 3, is one of the conventional forms, many of its details'of construction have not been shown in Figure 2; this figure and drawings being more-or-less schematic merely to illustrate the mechanism'and its relationship to the whole of the combination which is my present invention.

Thus, the driving shaft II, which may be the shaft of the motor.l2, or an extension thereof or coupled thereto, carries a conical disc lit-fixedly mounted on said shaft and rotatable'therewith and a conical disc [4 keyed to said shaft but movable axially therealong, which together constitute an axially separable V-pulley of variably efiecti-ve diameter. is carried by any suitable elongated sleeve-like hub l5, keyed to the drive shaft II, and to it is slidably keyed the hub it of the axially-movable or shiftable conical plate [4. The hub It, in turn, is engaged by a nonrevoluble ring H, which .is rotatably connected thereto by any suitable ball type thrust bearing race (indicated, but not shown in detail, at l8), and to the ring I! the thrust member 19 is pivotally secured,- which in turn is connected, through an extension arm 20-04, to the yoke 2!! which is screw threaded on the external-threaded tubular shaft 2|, to the outer end of which the sprocket wheel 22 is keyed, so that the turning of the sprocket wheel .22 in one direction will advance the yoke 20 and hence will advance the axially-movable conical disc M toward the axially-stationary conical disc l3, while the rotation or turning of the sprocket Wheel 22 in the opposite direction will cause the yoke Zll and disc Hi to. be moved away from the axially- The axially-stationary conical disc l3 4 stationary conical disc It; thereby to increase and decrease, respectively, the effective diameter of the driving V-pulley formed by the discs l3 and Hi, thereby correspondingly to increase and'decrease the speed of the driven countershaft 23 and hence of the handwheel shaft 24' of the full fashioned knitting machine, to which it is connected by multiple v-belts 25 and V-pulleys 2G and 27. The countershaft 23, in turn, carries one conical disc 28 fixedthereto by suitable keying and set screws, and another conical disc 23 keyed to the hub 30 of the disc 28, but slidable .thereon axially. A helical compression spring 3| seated against a collar 33 mounted on the end of the hub 30 bears against the hub portion 32 of the disc 29, and serves to urge the axiallymovable or shiftable disc 29 towards the axially fixed disc 28 at all times, so that the discs 28 and 29 will be brought as close to each other as the circumferential dimension of the V-belt 34 will allow for any spacing (and hence for any effective diameter) of the conical discs l3 and It on the driving shaft; so that as the effective diameter of the driving V-pulley formed by the discs l3 7 and it is increased (by these discs being brought closer together) the effective diameter of the V-pulley formed by the discs28 and 29 is decreased by the spreading apart of these discs and vice versa. I a

A sprocket and gear shaft 35 (suitably journaled in a bearing, not shown, within the housing 36) has a sprocket wheel 31 keyed thereto in operative alignment with the sprocket wheel 22 and a sprocket chain 38 extends over the two sprocket wheels 22 and 3'5. A worm'gear 39 is likewise keyed to the shaft 35. A worm 30, carried by and keyed to the shaft 4| of the control motor 42, meshes with the worm gear 39, so that the operation of the control motor :32 in one direction will increase the speed-ratio between driving shaft I I and driven shaft 23, while the operation of the control motor E2 in the opposite direction will decrease such speed ratio; the ultimate speed ratio achieved being dependent upon the length of time during which the control motor 62 is permitted to operate for effecting the change.

A flexible shaft or cable 43, carried within a suitable flexible conduit or housing a l is keyed or coupled to the shaft 35, as, for instance, by suitable coupling at Q5, and the end thereof is held by suitable bracket 46, or any other suitable means. The flexible shaft 43,. and its .flexible housing or conduit 44, extend from the shaft 35 to the front of the machine or to such location on the full fashioned knitting machine as may serve as a suitable location for the electrical contactor shown in external view on the right hand side of Figure 1 and shown in more detail in Fig-U ures 4 and 5; the flexible shaft 43 being coupled to a worm dl suitably journaled in any suitable bearing 48 carried by the housing d9 of said electrical contactor. The outer flexible conduit housing 44 is coupled to an extension of the bearing 48. A brush-carrying shaft 56 is suitably journaled in the housing 59 on an axis generally at a it and through the collector. ring 54, so as to establish:-I permanent; electrical connection be.

tweemcollector ring Handbmshfinger 55.

A,- hub 51 is; journaled upon. the shaft -50. .or. is.

the wisei umaled in-coraxial. r lation ther and has keyedtheretothe worm, gear .58, in, mesh with theivormj'l, to which issecuredth lSu-. latinstdisc r plat 59 :iby m ns is rs po ts. 5 3M0 1 we. l e The i su t na scfitt i t r carries gthe two arcuate, metalliQ contactor seg-,.

, l circle so as to leave diametrically opnqsed inter snta i and. 6h; a kl s an. one alf the eninssans tb tw en the ends f th m nts as; ss-i1.

hree tr prine bru h fine rs. .64.- 85.;and.1 uitab mounte pon any s itable i ula in ock... l ndqconne eci. wi h three a res ss,- 6a ndo e re re n OLt e e rsin circu o h o tml motor e d-r e. andbmshin y ontact the c ect r ine 54 a d oll to lgS 7 IV ande i re n ctirelxr h .cq lect r r n '1 nd bein lca riedpnthe.orp i e. e f. :insu1at-. ing ;dise 59; one pf; the collectorrings being cone.

e ted 'i h.-.-. t eeseements n he. other c l-lector :ring being electrically connected with he o her t e se m nts. arrie -on t e. op osi e ete it esu at ng-disc 9*- e the rus t e p l 12 .68 e. n.. e men 1,

tse l s e er n thr us t fie dof h .con-

oi -mot r 2 1 d r c ionn bile i e brush 5.. d s hs her se ment, i se cl e c rrent I through c t et dp t e sq i m m tor-., 2..-i t e opposite direction, thereby causing the motorto 11.111. i r m t on nfinecas an 1 1 16 o pote direct in heothe ica a.

The overriding he. brush. 55 e th r. er.

po i ion o t nee eo brus 5 by e e t nalarmjl through the shaft Silas wellas by the setting of the segment-.carrying disc 59. 1% the worm M and worm gear 58.

The arm,,5l is operatively connected with the buttons or knobs 13 of pattern chain 14 or of any equivalent thereof such as pattemwheel, each of whlch may carry ,a number of adjustably plac d bu tons r no s. pa di rdance with the .variousparts of the hose. The pattern.-

chain 14, shown he re merely schematically rides over the driving wheel 15', and extends over toothed wheels or pulleys I6, Hand any chain idler 18 ,*to take up the slack;

The pulleys 16,11 and 18" may be carried by the rail-orother-irame.member 19 0f the knitting machine.

similar frame member to the knitting machine, through -anyqsuitable bracket The operative -interconnection between the arm 5| and-the buttons 13 on: the pattern chain or wheel is preferably enacted through suitable N magnifying-mechanism,- whereby the comparatively smallrise, or displacement afforded by' the passage of aibutton (past anysuitable follower) v maybamagnified by-suitable leverage, so that the brush--55 maybe deflected a suitable distanc so as to override one of the sectors {it or 62 (from effect the extent of speed change desired. One

embodiment of such'interconnection is shown in Figure 1, whereina ball-crank lever or L.-shaped lever 8l' is pivoted at 82, and has a follower projection 83 in the path. of the. buttons .13, and which normally rides on the.chain, ,and is then elevated slightly by the passage of a button therenea hr. ri in pf the o lower. tn urn,

eg e sth u tica m .lfl to. e dash-do 1 13! The c0ntro1-*h0using 'or box 49 may likewise --be ke-yed or supported upon the railor 6: tion. of Fig. 1.: To a;.braoket.85, fixed to any suitable frame member .81 of the .knittingmachine,'a, pendant swing arm- 88yis pivotally .se-.

cured at 89. Thelower end of the swing arm is slotted as at89a, and. the slot 89a extendsover and embraces the eccentricpin 52 carried by the.

arm 5|, so that the displacement of the arm in the direction of the arrow 90. serves to deflect the arm 5| in the same directionandserves to deflect the brushfinger 55 in the direction of thearrow.

9i, thereby-to cause thebrushfinger 55 to over-' ride one of the two segments 6|. or 62.

A rod 92 .pivotally connected at $33 .tothe upper endof the arm to is slidably mounted in aslig'ht- 1y oversize opening any suitable guide or. bracket $3, carries an adjustable. set collar 94,.the'

position of which upon the rod. 92 "may be ad justed by the set screw The collar, in tum. carries a pin es. in alignment with the. arm .ilii.

so that as the rod t2v is. moved generally in the direction of. the arrowfiii, the arm. 88- will. be swung in the direction of the arrow 9t. and the, contact brush 55 will be deflected in the direction of the arrow ti; the extent of the .defiectionolf the arm 88 and of the brush contact 55 being.

dependent upon. the setting of the collar 9t. Thus, the closer the pin 96. is set to the edge of the arm 88, the more the armell will be deflected when a button 13 passes beneaththe follower 3.

A stop member-.31 is vadjustably fixed to the lid (is of the contactor housing dibby. means me nt.,6l or segment 62 v is effected by both the the neutral zone as) to a suitable' extent to f screws 9%, and the out-turned flange ll'lll thereoi serves as a stop, against which: the arrm 88 is brought back to rest by a helical.tensionspringllil, which is the position of returnof the arms 38 and 51 and of the contact-brush 55.

In the preferred embodiment, the return posi tion of the arm 86,. shown in solid lines in Fig-t.

ure 1, is that or the low speed of the machine, while the deficctedposition of the arinSB, shown in dash-dot linesinFigur-e 1, is that of thehigh speed of the machine; the degree of such derlec- 7 tion beingdeterminative of how. highthe high speedtvill be, because the. greater the deflection of the arm .38 and hence of the arznfil and contact brush 55, the longer it will take for the segment ill or so tobe revolved out oicontact Withbrush 555 and hence the longer will bathe 1 interval during which the control motor tit kept running to effect the greater speed .cl'ia.-ng;e.-

As. will be seen, from the drawings, asthe brush.55 rides on to one of the two segments (Si or 62, the control motor is setinto operation. in one direction or theflother so asto. shift the movable. conical discv l4 andthus changethe speed ratio. At the same.timehowever, the rota tion thus imparted to the shaft is transferred tothe worm and segrnent-carrying disc so as to revolve the segments out of contact with the. brush and when the segment has been revolved out of contact with the brush then the control motor 42':.stops urrtil-the brush-is derieotedagain, either back to its. return positionagainstthe stop. its. or forward-to its deflected position; riding-ontoone segment in'one. and riding; ont o,the other segment-in theot'ner 1 case. The. sequence of operations is illustrated.

in Figures i-a toil-6.,

The speed-setting-of the full iashione-i knitting machine for any given of operations or for the knitting or" a particular portionw oii-the ocks ma ri d t y desired 11 of courses per minute either by the setting; .01 he le i. 5 .01 b the r se o the buttonir or f' llh l.

' When morethantwo speeds aretdesired in the knitting of a complete stocking, several lines of buttons to may be provided to engage adjacent and similar followers 83 carried by similar arms 8|, which, in turn, actuate similar parallel rods 92, each carrying a similar collar M and a pin 96 to deflect the arm 38. By setting the collars 94 on the adjacent similar rods 92 at different distances from the arm 83, the raising of the adjacent similar followers 83 by buttons of adjacent lines will deflect the arm 38 to different distances, so that for the different parts of the stocking the speed of the machine will be different, according to the amount of the deflection. However, the running of the knitting machine at three or more different speeds may also be effected by a single line of buttons operating upon a single follower 83 and a single rod 82, by having the successive buttons in the same line of different height so that, through the one arm 8d and rod c2, and through the one collar dd and pin 96, the swing arm 88 may be deflected to varying degrees for the various operational stages of the machine or for the various parts of the hose.

The rapidity with which a speed-change is effected (from low to any given high or from. any high to the original low) may be changed by changing the ratio between sprocket wheels 22 and iii. In the particular illustration shown the ratio between driving sprocket Bl and driven sprocket 22 is one to two. If the more rapid speed-change is desired, the driving sprocket wheel Bl is increased in size and" the driven sprocket wheel 22 is decreased in size correspondingly, while if a less rapid speed-change is desired the sprocket wheel 31 is decreased. in size and the sprocket wheel 22' is further increased in size.

In any event, however, the speed change is a gradual one, and unlike shifting of belts from. step pulley to step pulley and different from the shifting of gears where the speed-change is instantaneous or virtually so. Therefore, by the present invention, not only may the knitting machine be operated at any number of different selected speeds while knitting the different parts of the stocking but the change from one speed to the other may be effected smoothly and without loss of torque.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim the following as new" and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. In a speed change and control mechanism for a knitting machine required to be driven at a number of diiferent operational stages wherein a gradually variable ratio-changer including a pulley-half splined for axial movement along a shaft is operatively interposed between a prime mover and a driven shaft driving the machine and wherein an electrical contactor having rotatable contact elements governs the operation of a control motor which moves the pulley-half along the first named shaft, the combination with said mechanism of a movable pattern chain having thereon projections which are adjustable in accordance with the speed-change pattern desired, a follower comprising a rod adapted to reciprocate in response to movement of said pattern chain, and a pendant swing arm having one end pivoted to a fixed support and its other end portion connected to a rotatable contact element of the electrical contactor to rotate the same, said reciprocable rod being operatively connected to said pendant swing arm adjacent the pivoted end thereof so as to amplify movements of said rotatable contact element responsive to movements of the follower.

2. In a speed change and control mechanism for a knitting machine required to be driven at a number of difierentspeeds through a number of different operational stages wherein a gradually variable ratio-changer including a pulley-' ation of a control motor which'moves the pulley-' half alon the first namedshaft, the combination with said mechanism of a pattern device comprising a chain having thereon projections which are adjustable in accordance with the speed-change pattern desired, means for moving said chain, a follower movable in response to movement of said chain, and movement-amplifying mechanism operatively interposed between the follower and said electrical contactor including a pendant swing arm connected to said electrical contactor.

3. In a speed change and control mechanism for a knitting machine required to be driven at a number of different speeds through a number of diiferent operational stages wherein a gradually variable ratio-changer, including a pulleyhalf splined for axial movement along a shaft is operatively interposed between a prime mover and a driven shaft driving the machine and wherein an electrical contactor governs the operation of a control'motor which moves the pulleyhalf along the first named shaft, the combination with said mechanism of a pattern chain including a plurality of projections which are adjustable in accordance with the speed-change pattern desired, a follower engageable by and movable in response to' said projections, and movement-amplifying .mechanism operatively interposed between the follower and said electrical contactor including a pendant swing arm connectedto said electricalcontactor.

4. An electric drive and speed-control for a knitting machine-including an electric drivemotor, a variable ratio-changer operatively connected to said drive-motor, a reversible electric control-motor operatively connected to said ratio-changer, an electrical contactor having two mutually rotatable members one of which carries at least two spaced electrical contact segments insulated from each other and the other of which carries at least one electrical contact arranged to ride onto and off the aforesaid segments by relative rotation of said two members, one of said segments being electrically connected to said control-motor to cause rotation of said motor in one direction and the other of said segments being connectedto said control-motor to cause its rotation in the other direction when the electrical contact of the other member engages one or the other of said segments, one of said members'being connected to said controlmotor through a fixed-ratio speed-reducer interposed therebetween to rotate said motor-connected member at a speed much less than the speed of said control-motor, a pattern-chain having projections thereon, a follower in operative juxtaposition to said pattern-chain and means intermediate said follower and the other of said two mutually rotatable members for rotating the latter to and fro to an angular extent substantially less than 360 responsive to the presence and absence of a projection on said pattern-chain displacing said follower.

5. An electric drive and speed-control for a knitting machine including an electric drivemotor, a variable ratio-changer operatively connected to said drive-motor, a reversible electric control-motor operatively connected to said ratiochanger, an electrical contactor having two mutually movable members one of which carries at least two spaced electricalcontact segments insulated from each other and the other of which carries at least one electrical contact arranged to ride onto and off the aforesaid segments by relative movement of said two members, one of said segments being electrically connected to said control-motor to cause rotation of said motor in one direction and the other of.said segments being connected to said control-motor to cause its rotation in the other direction when the electrical contact of the other member engages one or the other of said segments, one of said members being connected to said control-motor through a fixed-ratio speed-reduced interposed therebetween to move said motor-connected member at a speed much less than the speed of said control-motor, a pattern-chain having projections thereon, a follower in operative juxtaposition to said pattern-chain and means intermediate said follower and the other of said two mutually movable members for moving the latter to and fro responsive to the presence and absence of a projection on said pattern-chain displacing said follower.

6. An electric drive and speed-control for a knitting machine including an electric drivemotor, a variable ratio-changer operatively connected to said drive-motor, a reversible electric control-motor operatively connected to said ratio changer, an electrical contactor having two mutually rotatable members one of which carries at least two spaced electrical contact segments insulated from each other and the other of which carries at least one electrical contact arranged to ride onto and off the aforesaid segments by relative rotation of said tWo members, one of said segments being electrically connected to said control-motor to cause rotation of said motor in one direction and the other of said segments being connected to said control-motor to cause its rotation in the other direction when the electrical contact of the other member engages one or the other of said segments, one of said members being connected to said control-motor through a flexible-cable speed-reducer interposed therebetween to rotate said motor-connected member at a speed much less than the speed of said controlmotor, a pattern-chain having projections thereon, a follower in operative juxtaposition to said pattern-chain and means intermediate said follower and the other of said two mutually rotatable members for rotating the latter to and fro to an angular extent substantially less than 360 responsive to the presence and absence of a projection on said pattern-chain displacing said follower.

ERNEST A. FEUSTEL.

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